Fierce Winter Storm Slams the Middle East

While we have been dealing with our own messy weather here in Central Texas, it does not even begin to compare with the fierce weather that has been lashing the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. Lebanon, Israel, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and many more countries have been affected by this powerful winter storm.

Ahead of the storm: Windy with heavy showers and storms (snow in higher elevations)

Behind the storm: Windy and cold with rain along the coast, heavy snow in the higher elevations. Dust storms ahead of the system on the Arabian Peninsula.

The powerful storm system originated in the Arctic and was forced south by an unusually strong ridge of high pressure across the western Mediterranean...this type of weather setup allowed for a large trough of low pressure to develop across the eastern Mediterranean allowing for cold, Arctic Air to plunge south out of northern Europe into the Middle East. Temperatures are running 10-15 degrees below normal across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel. 

Ahead of the storm system, heavy showers and thunderstorms brought gusty winds in excess of 50 mph to coastal areas along with several inches of rainfall in spots. In the higher elevations of Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and Jordan, snow fell in feet. Snow was even reported at elevations as low as 900 feet in Lebanon. Numerous cities, towns, and villages experienced catastrophic flooding. In Israel, Tel Aviv's Metro Rail (subway system) flooded. 

Lebanon:

Israel:

The extreme cold, rain, and snow could not have come at a worse time for the middle east. Syrian refugees living in tents have been suffering through the cold weather for the past week. Some are ripping pages out of books to keep their camp fires going.

Ahead of the system, massive dust storms kicked up across the Arabian Peninsula, Syria and Iraq.

Behind the system, cold, Arctic Air is pouring into the middle east with highs in coastal cities, such as Beirut and Tel Aviv not getting out of the 40s (typical high for this time of year in the lower 60s)...Highs in higher elevations of Lebanon, Israel, and Syria will not get out of the 10s, 20s and 30s. The Bekaa Valley in Lebanon will only climb into the 30s for highs over the coming days. Keep in mind, nearly all the people in these countries do not have heaters. Electricity has been down for days now across a good portion of the Middle East. No telling how soon that will be fixed, if at all.

Highs shown for Lebanon in degrees Celsius.

Unfortunately, the death toll continues to rise across the area.